Sheet-metal-bending machine.



Patented m 20, 19 13.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES mum CO WASHINGTON. u. c,

F. LOY.

SHEET METAL BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1910.

1 ,O62,24;4;. Patented May 20, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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LOLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHIN GGGGGGGG c.

F. LOY. SHEET METAL BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1910.

Patented May 20, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH c0.. WASHINGTON. D. c,

yaw b Q\ M m w a mm A Arm/m P. LOY.

SHEET METAL B NG MACHINE.

APPLICATION PI MAY 24, 1910. 1,062,244.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK LOY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO LOY AND NAWRATI-I COM- PANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SHEET-METAL-BENDING- MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK LoY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Sheet-Metal-Bending Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the art of bending sheet metal by means of power presses in which a hammer is moved up and down in a suitable frame toward and away from an anvil, said hammer and anvil carrying cooperating dies adapted to bend the sheet metal as desired. There has heretofore been 1 a limit to the depth of corrugations which could thus be bent or formed in a sheet of metal, it not having been practicable to produce corrugations of great depth, and especially in heavy or thick plates of sheet metal.

The objects of the present invention are to enable deep, sharp corrugations to be formed in sheet metal, even though of considerable thickness, without straining or tearing the metal; to provide for this purpose a compound lower die, a portion of which is adapted to move with reference to the rest of it at the proper, time; to provide means for effecting such relative movement of the parts of the compound die; to operate said means by the upper die; to enable the bend ing to be done with minimum power; to secure a simple and effective construction which can be applied to sheet metal bending presses already in use, and to obtain other advantages and results as may be brought out in the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several figures, Figure 1 is a perspective view, from the front, of a sheet metal press having my improvements applied thereto, the press being partly broken away to show the invention more clearly; Fig. 2 shows a piece of sheet metal, part of which has finished corrugations produced by my improved press; Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the bending press taken on line 3, 3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow, and showing at the moment of release certain locking means for holding the foot treadle in position-to operate the machine. Fig. 4 is a similar view of said locking means, showing the same holding the treadle locked Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed May 24, 1910. Serial N 0. 563,076.

Patented May 20,1913.

position to operate the machine; Fig. 5

1s a view of said locking means in elevation from the front of the machine; Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view taken on line 6, 6 of Fig. 8; Fig. 7 is a plan of a portion of the lower'die; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the lower die partly in section on line'S, 8 of Fig. 7, looking in the direction of the arrow marked a"; Fig. 9 is a section taken on line 99, Fig. 8, showing a certain saddle in side elevation; Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view on line 10-11 of Fig. 8, showing the movable member of the lower die elevated, as it is during the first portion of the bending stroke, and Fig. 11 is a cross section on line 10ll, of Fig. 8, showing the movable member of the lower die inits lower position, as it is during the latter part of a stroke.

In said drawings, 1, 1 indicate the end housings of a sheet metal bending press having a bottom leaf 2 and a hammer 3 adapted to bereciprocated up and down by pitmen 4, 4, as is old and well-known in the art. It is to bending dies located between and supported upon the said bottom leaf 2 and hammer 8, and means for operating the same, that the present invention more particularly relates, and which will be particularly described herein.

It will be understood that the purpose of this invention is to bend a sheet 5 of metal into a series of plaits or deep corrugations of narrow pitch, such as shown at 12 in the. left-hand part of Fig. 2. Such deep narrow corrugations cannot be conveniently formed by a single bending, especially if the sheet metal is heavy or thick, because an extremely strong machine is required to resist the strain and a great deal of power to operate the machine. It will be understood that the depth of corrugation referred to is six inches more or less, while the pitch or distance between the corrugatio-ns is only two inches. By my improved method, the sheet metal is first bent into plaits or foldsof the desired height or width from end to end, but which plaits or folds are left open at much greater angle than the desired final angle, as shown at 16 in the right-hand part'of Fig. 2. In practice, these bends are preferably at an obtuse angle, and the corrugating is then ready to be finished by my improved means next to be described.

Referring especially to Figs. 10, 11, 7, S and 9, the lower male die member comprises a base port-ion 6 adapted to be bolted to the bottom leaf 2, as at 7. At its top the said base 6 is channeled or recessed longitudinally, said channel being of con-.

siderable depth and affording bearings at its bottom for a shaft 8 which extends the entire length of said bottom die 6. This shaft 8 is provided at intervals with cams 9, which are shown integral with said shaft, although not necessarily so. At one side the recess of the die 6 is widened opposite said cams, as at 10, so as to afford spaces for the cams to be prostrated when the shaft 8 is turned for that purpose.

Above the shaft 8, the recess or channel of the base member 6 provides a vertical slideway for the movable member 13 of the bottom die, said movable member having lateral base flanges 14: forming a widened base which can seat solidly upon the shoulders 15 formed by the widening of the slideway over the shaft space; The movable member 13 and the cams 9 are so related that when said cams are turned to engage the bottom of the movable die mem ber, said member is raised from the shoulders 15, and when the cams are prostrated the said movable die member seats upon the bottom of its slideway and the shaft 8, so that it is very solidly supported.

Preferably the bottom of the movable member 13 of the lower die is transversely recessed at intervals, as shown at 57, to receive saddles or bearing blocks 58 above the shaft 8 and tie-bolts 59. Each saddle is shaped at its under surface to form a bearing for the shaft 8, and at its upper surface is grooved transversely of the die, as at 60, to receive a tie-bolt 59 which extends transversely of the base portion 6 of the lower die to prevent its spreading. Said tie bolts 59 also hold the saddles 58 downward against the shaft.

Above the base flanges 14, 14 and on opposite sides of the movable die member 13, the side walls of the channel of the member 6 are recessed at their upper edges, as at 17, to receive fixed die blocks 18, 18, held by screws 61. These die blocks 18, when the movable die member 13 is depressed, form wit-h the sides thereof, as at 19, 19, seats as shown in Fig. 11 for the ends of the ribs 21, 21 of the female or upper die 22. Said upper die 22 is fastened to the reciprocating hammer 3 in any suitable and well-known manner, as by clamps 221, and provides between its two wedgeshaped ribs 21, 21, a similarly shaped groove 23 adapted to receive the tapering rib 24 of the male die. Of course said ribs 21, 21 and 2 1, and the groove 23, are all of the proper angle and depth to produce whatever corrugations are desired in the piece of sheet metal to be bent.

In operation, the partly bent sheetmetal,

as shown at 16 in Fig.2, is laid across the male die member 13, the upper die 22 having been elevated out of the way by raising the hammer 3 to its highest position, as

shown in Fig. 1. Such elevation of the hammer has also caused an incline'25 on said hammer to engage the arm 271 of a lever 27 pivoted as at 28 to the housing 1 and having its other arm 272 projecting rearwardly adjacent to said housing. Said arm 272 is joined by a connecting rod 30 to the rearward arm 31 of a lower lever 32 pivoted as at 33 also on the housing 1 and having its other arm 34 pivoted by a slot and pin connection to an arm 35 on the shaft 8. The arrangement of all these parts is such that when the incline 25 engages the lever 27 it forces the connecting rod 30 downward and thus throws upward the inner end of the lower lever 32 and the arm 35 of the shaft 8, thus bringing the cams 9 into upright position, as shown in Fig. 10. This elevates the movable die member 13, and such is the position of said die member and its supporting cams when the sheet metal is laid across the die as above stated.

Downward movement of the hammer 3 causes the upper die 22 to straddle the lower die member 13, as shown in Fig. 10, and in doing this the ribs 21, 21 on opposite sides of the rib 24 fold or close the obtuse bend already formed and bring it approximately into final shape or to the desired acute angle. This action is simply a bending and there is no drawing or straining of the metal whatever.

When the upper die 22 has thus closed a corrugation against the opposite sides of the lower die member 13 or rib 2% thereof, and before the downstroke of said upper die member is completed, an upper incline 36 upon the hammer 3 operates through a knuckle 37 upon the lever 27 to raise the connecting rod 30, thus throwing downward the inner arm of the lever 32 and consequently the arm 35 of the shaft 8 and its cams 9. Said cams being thus laid down, or prostrated, the movable die member 13 drops to its seat 15 and the sides of it form with the die blocks 18 angular seats adapted to receive the edges of the two ribs 21 of the upper die and bend the next obtuse angle of the sheet metal to the acute form desired. The said knuckle 37 comprises two members or links pivoted together at their adjacent ends and having their opposite ends pivoted one to the lever 27 and the other to the housing 1 at a higher point, as 29. The pivotal angle of the knuckle projects into the path of the incline 25, as the hammer is coming down, so that it is engaged by said incline and the knuckle partially straightened out before the incline passes its angle. This straightening of the knuckle operates the levers and cams as above stated, or prostrates said cams, so that the movable member 13 of the lower die quickly drops away from the upper die to its seat 15. The hammer then continues its downstroke, the incline 36 idly passing the knuckle, and seats the upper die upon the lower one, finishing the bend over the rib 24 and simultaneously closing up the next bend or corrugation of. the sheet metal by the lower edge of one ofthe ribs 21 between a die-block 18 and said rib 24. This is accomplished during the latter part of the stroke of the hammer, and thus two bends of the sheet metal are completed at a single stroke of the hammer. Furthermore, the second bend, which is the one requiring greatest strain, is made when the movable die member 13 is most solidly seated. The hammer is then raised, the sheet metal shifted so that its next uncompleted bend lies across the top of the lower die, and the hammer is again lowered.

Preferably the cam shaft 8 has an arm 35 at each end of itself, and there are two sets of lower levers 32 and upper levers 27, one set arranged upon the inner face of each housing. The hammer then has two downwardly facing inclines 36 at its upper part, one adjacent to each of the housings and adapted to actuate the levers mounted thereon to swing the cam shaft. There are also two lower upwardly facing inclines 25 upon the hammer, one near each end of it. By the two sets of inclines and levers the cam shaft 8 is more positively rocked by the reciprocation of the hammer, as will be understood.

The connecting rods 30 between the levers 27 and 32 are made adjustable inlength by each having a turnbuckle 20 intermediate of its ends, and furthermore, in order to enable the leverage of the levers 27 to be adjusted, the pivotal pin 38 of each connecting rod 30 is mounted in a boX 39 arranged in a slideway 40 of its lever 27 and adapted to be adjusted by screws 41 and 42 engaging it from opposite sides.

In order to shift the piece of sheet metal being bent, especially in making very deep bends or corrugations, it is necessary that the upper die be stopped at its greatest distance away from the lower die, and I have shown in the drawings means for automatically effecting such a stopping of the machine. It will be understood that in a sheet metal bending press of the type to which I have shown my improvements applied, the hammer is normally at rest and motion is given to it by pressure upon a foot treadle 43 at the right hand end of the front of the machine. This treadle projects through the housing 1 and is normally held elevated by a spring 44 so that the machine does not operate; as long as the treadle is held depressed by the operators foot, however,

(See Figs. 3, 4, 5

. housing and having an arm projecting adjacent to the shaft 49 to which the pitmen 4,

4 are eccentrically connected. The said shaft 49 has upon itself a collar 50 provided with a cam projection 51 adapted to engage the adjacent end of said lever 47. A set screw 52 enables the collar 50 to be adjusted upon the shaft 49 so that the cam 51 will engage the lever 47 at the highest point of the upstroke of the hammer. Such engagement with the lever 47 obviously disengages the detent 45 from the treadle lever 43, so that said treadle is immediately brought into idle position by the spring 44 and the machine stopped. Preferably, a steel plate 62 is removably secured to the detent 45 to engage the foot-treadle 43 and take the wear.

A little hand lever 53 pivoted upon the housing 1 at a convenient point and slotted as at 54 to take a pin upon the connecting rod 46, enables the latch 45 to be released at any moment the operator desires to stop the machine. Furthermore a stop arm 55 pivoted upon the housing 1 is adapted to be swung beneath a block or projection 56 upon said connecting rod 46, when desired, to hold the latch permanently in released or idle position.

By my improved method deep corrugations of a narrow pitch are produced by simply bending the sheet-metal, as opposed to stretching or stamping it, and not only is a better and stronger product obtained, but also it is obtained with a minimum expenditure of power. In other words, the work can be done ona lighter press by my improved method.

While I have illustrated the invention in connection with corrugating sheet metal, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to that work, and desireto include any ending to which the invention is applicable. Furthermore, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact details of construction shown for purposes of illustration, since obviously they may be varied by anyone skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For instance, it is possible that the movable member of the lower die could be operated by other means than the shaft with cams thereon which I have shown beneath &

. i said movable die member. Strong springs could be employed to hold said movable member normally elevated for the first portion of the stroke of the hammer, said springs compressing to allow the movable member to depress to its lowest position during the latter part of the stroke of the hammer. Other means could also be devised to prochice the movements of said die member which are involved in my invention, and the following claims are to be construed as covering all such means.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination with a press, of corrugating bending dies one comprising a trough-like base member with side walls providing forming edges at their outer portions and a slideway at their inner portions and a movable member adapted to slide in said slideway with a projecting forming edge, the other die having two forming edges adapted to enter between the said forming edges of the base member and to re ceive between themselves the said forming edge of the movable member, means normally holding said movable member with its forming edge projected beyond the base member a distance greater than the depth of corrugation to be formed and allowing it to retract when the dies come together, and means for moving said dies toward and away from each other.

2. In combination with a press, corrugat ing bending dies one comprising a troughlike base member with side-walls providing forming edges at their outer portions and a slideway at their inner portions and a movable member adapted to slide in said slideway with a forming edge, the other die having two forming edges adapted to cooperate with said forming edges of the base member and a recess between to receive said forming edge of the movable member, means normally holding said movable member with its forming edge projected beyond the base member a distance greater than the depth of corrugation to be formed and allowing it to retract when the dies come together, and means for moving said dies toward and away from each other.

3. The combination of a trough-like base portion of a lower die providing shaft hearings in the bottom o-f its cavity, a shaft journaled in said bearings, cams on said shaft at inter als of its length, the cavity of said base portion being enlarged to receive said cams and forming a slideway above said shaft, a movable die member having a base in said slideway, an upper die adapted to cooperate with the lower die, means for reciprocating said upper die, and means for oscillating said shaft to turn its cams into and out of engagement with said movable die member.

4. Thecombination of a trough-like base portion of a lower die, the cavity of said base portion having its side walls stepped at a distance above its bottom, a die member having a base adapted to seat on the steps and move away therefrom, the side walls of the trough cavity being again stepped above said base of the said movable die member, lateral die blocks fixed on said upper stepped portions of the walls of the cavity and adapted to form with said die member, a die surface, an upper die adapted to cooperate with the lower die, means for reciprocating said upper die, and means in the lower part of the cavity of said troughlike base portion for raising said movable die member upward from its seat.

5. The combination of a trough-like base portion of a lower die, a shaft journaled in the bottom of the cavity of said base portion, cams on said shaft at intervals of its length, the cavity of said base portion being enlarged to receive said cams and having its sides stepped above said shaft, a movable die member having a base in said stepped portion of the trough, the side walls of the trough cavity being again stepped above said base of said movable die member, lateral die blocks fixed on said upper stepped portion of the walls of the cavity, an upper die adapted to cooperate with the lower die, means for reciprocating said upper die toward and away from the lower die, and means for oscillating said shaft.

6. The combination with a trough-like base portion of a lower die, a shaft journaled in the bottom of the cavity of said base portion, cams on said shaft at intervals of its length, the cavity of said base portion being enlarged to receive said cams and forming a vertical slideway above the shaft, saddle blocks upon said shaft between said cams, means for holding said saddle blocks in place, a movable die member having a base in said slideway of the cavity of the base portion and having its lower edge recessed to receive said saddle blocks, an upper die adapted to cooperate with the lower die, means for reciprocating said upper die,

and means for oscillating said shaft to turn its cams into and out of engagement with the base of the movable die member.

7. The combination with a press having end housings, a hammer and a bed, and means for reciprocating said hammer, of a lower die upon said bed having a recessed base portion and a die member adapted to move up and down in the recess, means in said recess for holding the movable die member in elevated position, mechanism adapted to be engaged by the hammer on its down stroke to release said holding means, and an upper die carried by the hammer and adapted to cooperate with the lower die.

8. The combination with a press having end housings, a hammer and a bed, of a lower die upon saidbed having a recessed base portion and a die member adapted to move vertically in the recess, means in said recess for holding the movable die member in elevated position, a lever fulcrumed upon one of the end housings having one of its arms adapted to be engaged by the hammer, connections between the other arm of said lever and said means for holding the movable die member elevated, and an'upper die carried by the hammer and adapted to cooperate with the lower die.

9. The combination with a press having end housings, a hammer and a bed, of a lower die upon said bed having a recessed base portion and a die member adapted to move vertically in the recess, means in said recess for holding the movable die member in elevated position, a lever fulcrumed upon one of said housings, connections between one arm of said lever and said means for holding the movable die member elevated, a knuckle pivoted at one end to the said housing and at the other end to said lever, the angle of said knuckle adapted to project into the path of the hammer, and an upper die carried by the hammer and adapted to cooperate with the lower die.

10. The combination with a press having end housings, a bed and a hammer withupper and lower inclines facing each other, of a lower die upon said bed having a recessed base portion and a die member adapted to move vertically within the recess, means in the recess for holding the movable die member in elevated position, a lever fulcrumed upon one of said housings and having one of its arms adapted to be engaged by the lower incline of the hammer, a knuckle pivoted at one end to said arm of the lever and at its other end to a higher point of the end housing, the angle of said knuckle being adapted to project into the path of the upper incline of the hammer, connections between the other arm of said lever and said means for holding the movable die member elevated, and an upper die carried by the hammer and adapted to cooperate with the lower die.

11. The combination with a press having end housings, a bed and a hammer, an means for reciprocating said hammer, of a lower die upon said bed having a recessed base portion and a die member adapted to move up and down in the recess, a shaft in said recess beneath said die member, cams on said shaft adapted to engage the die member, an arm fixed on said shaft, means adapted to be engaged by the hammer as it reciprocates to oscillate said shaft, and an upper die carried by the hammer and adapted to cooperate with the lower die.

12. The combination with a press having end housings, a bed and a hammer and means for reciprocating said hammer, of a lower die upon said bed having a recessed base portion and a die member adapted to move up and down in the recess, a shaft in said recess beneath said die member, cams on said shaft adapted to engage the die member, an arm fixed on said shaft, a lever fulcrumed upon one of the end housings having one of its arms adapted to be engaged by the hammer on both its upward and its downward movements, connections between the other arm of said lever and said shaft arm, and an upper die carried by the hammer and adapted to cooperate with the lower die.

18. The combination with a press having end housings, a bed and a hammer, of a lower die upon said bed having a recessed base portion and a die member adapted to move vertically in the recess, a shaft in said recess beneath said die member, cams on said shaft adapted to engage the die member, an arm fixed on said shaft, a lever fulcrumed upon one of said housings, connections between one arm of said lever and said shaft arm, a knuckle pivoted-at one end to the said housing and at the other end to said lever, the angle of said knuckle adapted to project into the path of the hammer, and an upper die carried by the hammer and adapted to cooperate with the lower die.

14:. The combination with a press having end housings, a bed and a hammer with upper and lower inclines facing each other,

of a lower die upon said bed having a recessed base portion and a die member adapted to move vertically within the recess, a 'shaft in said recess beneath said die member, cams on said shaft adapted to engage the die member, an arm fixed on said shaft, a lever fulcrumed upon one of said housings and having one of its arms adapted to be engaged by the lower incline of the hammer, a knuckle pivoted at one end to said arm of the lever and at its other end to a higher point of the housing, the angle of said knuckle being adapted to project into the path of the upper incline'of the hammer, connections between the other arm of said lever and said shaft arm, and an upper die carried by the hammer and adapted to cooperate with the lower die.

15. The combination with a press having a bed, a hammer, and means for reciprocating said hammer toward and away from the bed, of a lower die on the bed comprising a fixed base portion and a vertically movable upper portion, an upper die on the hammer adapted to cooperate with said lower die, means adapted to be engaged by the hammer to operate said movable die a bed, a hammer, and means for reciprocating said hammer toward and away from the bed, of a lower die on said bed comprising a trough-like base member forming an interior slideway and a movable member slidable in said base member and adapted to project therefrom, an upper die on the hammer adapted to cooperate wit-h said lower die, means adapted to be engaged by the hammer to operate said movable die portion, and means for automatically stopping the hammer in a given position.

17. The combination with a press having a bed, a hammer having an upper downwardly-facing incline and a lower upwardlyfacing incline, and means for reciprocating said hammer toward and away from the bed, of a lower die on the bed comprising a fixed base portion and a vertically movable upper portion, an upper die on the hammer adapted to cooperate with said lower die, and means for operating said movable die portion extending in between said inclines and adapted to be engaged thereby.

18. The combination with a press having a bed, a hammer and a shaft, pitmen eccentrically connected at one end to said shaft and pivoted at the other end to said hammer, and a cont-rolling foot treadle, said hammer having an upwardly-facing incline, of a lower die on the bed comprising a fixed base portion and a vertically movable upper portion, an upper die on the hammer adapted to cooperate with said lower die, and means for operating said movable die portion adapted to be engaged by said incline on the hammer at its upstroke.

19. The combination with a press having abed, a hammer having a lateral downwardly-facing impact surface, and means for reciprocating said hammer toward and away from the bed, of a lower die on the bed comprising a fixed base portion and a vertically movable upper portion, an upper die on the hammer adapted to cooperate with said lower die, and means for operating said movable die portion adapted to be engaged by said impact surface on the downstroke of the hammer.

20. The combination with a press having a bed, a hammer having an upper downwardly-facing incline and a lower upwardlyfacing incline, and means for reciprocating said hammer toward and away fro-m the bed, of a lower die on the bed comprising a fixed base portion and a vertically movable upper portion, an upper die on the hammer adapted to cooperate with said lower die, means for operating said movable die portion extending in between said inclines and adapted to be engaged thereby, and means for automatically stopping the hammer in given position.

21. The combination with a press having a bed, a hammer and a shaft, pitmen eccentrically connected at one end to said shaft and pivoted at the other end to said hammer, and a controlling foo-t treadle, said hammer having an upwardly-facing incline, of a lower die on the bed comprising a fixed base portion and a vertically movable upper portion, an upper die on the hammer adapted to cooperate with said lower die, means for operating said movable die portion adapted to be engaged by said incline on the hammer at its upstroke, a detent adapted to overlie said foot treadle in depressed position, a cam on said shaft, and tripping means connected with said detent and adapted to be engaged by the said cam to release the detent.

22. The combination with a press having a bed, a hammer having a lateral d0wnwardly-facing impact surface, and means for reciprocating said hammer toward and away from the bed, of a lower die on the bed comprising a fixed base portion and a vertically movable upper port-ion, an upper die on the hammer adapted to cooperate with said lower die, means for operating said movable die portion adapted to be engaged by said impact surface on the downstroke o-f'the hammer, and means for automatically stopping the hammer in given position.

FRANK LOY.

i/Vitnesses RUSSELL M. EVERETT, FRANCES E. BLODGETT.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addre's'si'ng the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

